Recommitment to summer challenge!
 

Well it seems that spring has finally arrived! :cb: and with that summer is just around the corner :sunny:

We all seem to be doing well in the Summer Challenge so this thread is just to give us all a little boost and motivation to keep going :D

If anyone would like to recommit to their summer weight loss plans please post your current and/or new goals or any changes you have to your old ones. This will also give any one new an opportunity to join in. :)

I will be closing the summer challenge thread but I am leaving it up so everyone can review their posts and can copy and paste them into this new thread in part or in their entirety.

Lets go Alternachicks! Together we can do this!
:cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

Hey! I just realized that I have lost a total of 8 lbs already! Whoohoo! :dancer:

Summer Challenge Previous weight: 168lbs
June 5th goal: 150 lbs

Current weight: 160 lbs
June 21 goal: 150 lbs

I have decided to change my goal date to June 21-the official first day of summer! :cool:

Plan that I am following: ww/SBD

What I have done to reach my goals so far:
-planned weekly menus and grocery lists
- increased my exercise to 1 hour 3 X week
- kept junk food out of my house for the most part -not always easy:p
- attended ww meetings faithfully
- tried out some healthy new recipes :chef:

What I would like to do:
- exercise everyday for 1 hour
- stay OP on the weekends...very hard!
- keep a daily food journal...I am sporadic about this :lol:

Things I would like to achieve:
- my body to be more toned
- being able to walk up stairs without losing my breath
-feeling healthier and having more energy
-fitting into a size 9 :D

Reward: some new summer clothes, a day at a spa! :cloud9:

This is my commitment to myself! :D
Mauvaisroux

CW : 193
GW: 140
plan : am just trying to change my whole lifestyle. portion control ( a major prob. for me) lots of water. move more.
reward : to finally wear the pile of jeans that sits in the back of my closet for " some day"

ok, the above was my old goals. now my new and revised because i slacked off goals. :)

CW : 182
GW :165
I am going to do this by making my workouts more of a priority. taking advantage of the weather and get outside and get moving more. Still drinking my water. cut out all processed foods. ( have been eating a lot healthier but now i want to up it a step and start to cut out all processed junk from my sight, and belly :) )

not only will my reward be to fit into my "one day" clothes but even more importantly is the fact of knowing that i didn't let myself down. that a goal was made and reached, I can do this!!

11 pounds lost so far.
17 to go!!!
I am going with June 21st as my summer challenge date to give myself a reachable goal.

I'm coming in late, but I'd like to join the summer challenge too!!

I'm embarrassed to write down my weight (because in the past few months I've gained back most of what I had lost :o so I'm basically starting over).

Let's see, it's April 18 today. My first short-term goal is to lose 10 pounds by the end of May for my niece's graduation. I know that seems like a lot for about 6 weeks, but since I've been so far off track lately I'm expecting the first 10 to come off pretty quickly if I can stick to the program!

My next goal is to lose 25 pounds by mid-August for a family reunion.

So here I go....

CW 198.5
May 30 goal: 188.5
August 15 goal: 173
Ultimate goal: 125

How will I accomplish this?
* I have started to re-read the SBD book, and yesterday I bought the new SBD cookbook. I'm ready to recommit myself!
* I'm going to walk every day with my dogs (one of them could stand to lose a couple of pounds also).
* A biggie for me, I need to get back to drinking my water! That makes such a big difference in how fast I lose weight. No more diet coke (ok, only on special occasions)!!
* I bought a DietPower computer program, and I'm going to be diligent about tracking my food, water, exercise, and weight. With me, out of sight out of mind....if I don't see something in black and white I don't think about it.

April 18....the first day of the rest of my life!!!

Welcome back twodog :D

Sorry to hear about your gain but glad to have you back on board! :goodvibes

Thanks Mauvais! It's great to be back. It's a sad fact of life that stress is the nemesis of emotional eaters on a diet. :( Ah well, just need to look forward and not back!

Ok. I visited yesterday but I didn't want to post yet after being a very bad, bad girl over the weekend. :devil: But I'm better today :angel: Whew. here goes! :crossed:

Current weight: 196lbs
June 21 goal: 186lbs

I'm just going for a 10 pound loss because I haven't lost ANYTHING lately.

Plan that I am following: Uhh...not to eat everything in sight?

What you will do to reach that goal: Mon-weights&treadmill :tread: Tue-step
Wed-weights and tread, Thur-step and tone, Fri-weights&tread, Sat&Sun optional aerobic days. Also add 30 minutes of walking at lunch.

Reward: ?Not sure yet, I need to think about that one.

Personal goals: Find my self control and learn to plan healthy meals.

MMMMM K

Well here we go again!

Well my summer goal isn't going to change much. I started out originally at 156 when I joined the summer challenge and made a goal of 140. I am sticking to the 140 pound goal.

Weighed in this week at 150.5 so I have 10.5 pounds to lose by June.

This was originally my goal weight also, I am not sure at this point that this is what I am shooting for or not, just depends on how I feel when I reach it. I really am happy with what I have lost so far, I am fitting in to most of my smaller clothes in the closet, most of my 8 jeans fit- can squeeze into my 8 Levi's but don't expect to eat while wearing them.... Just want to be comfortable with me, all of my scrubs for work look like maternity tents at this point, had not planned on having to purchase anymore scrubs but think I may have to address altering them because they are way too big.

Well here is my plan:
I am sticking to Atkins, the low-carb way has work this far...

Goals:
Ummm lets think about exercise in the future.
Increasing H2O and decreasing caffiene.
Start taking the vitamins in the cabinet before they expire AGAIN....
Sleeping when it is appropriate instead of all the time (yeah right)

Well the above is subject to change depending on the day or my mood but it sound good right now :lol:

well i went over to Tina's ( my best girl here in town) and got her to do my workout with me. lol she hates moving even more than me. the plan is to try an meet 3-4 days a week after i take hubby to work and workout together. hoping this helps being accountable with someone else.

Good goals everyone :cp:

I have recommitted to exercising...so far so good...3 days out of 3 and tomorrow I have a dance class...:cb:

Way to go Mauvaisroux! :bravo: Good job blugrrl! It does help having a workout buddy. My friend from work Tracy and I have been working out together for a year. 95% of the time we really help each other and encourage each other to go even when we don't want to, its that other 5% you gotta watch out for cause it can be easy to skip a workout because she doesn't want to go. But we've really had a good time so far. We even took a before photo together and have taken an update photo and one of these days we're gonna have a final after photo!!! Good luck to everyone out there. :goodluck: We are women, hear us roar! hehe :coach:

Amy : i am roaring i am, lol. well i know what you mean, she didn't feel up to it yesterday but i kinda thought that so i did my workout in the a.m before going over there. i understand though she has fibrmygia(sp?) so i have been after her for a while to do light aerobic to help her muscles. she did say that she thought to start she should do every other day. so we are trying again today. but i am still doing my 2 miles as soon as blue leaves for school.

Mauvais : that is exactly what i am having to do recommit but i noticed as soon as i started exercising again this week my mood lifted.

Well so far this week, between doing pilates for two mornings, bellydance class two nights and walking I have managed to exercise everyday this week :tread:

blugrrl- I have felt that lift too after exercising :)

shoequeen- my best friend and I are going to ww together and take a bellydance class together....we took a before and mid point picture together and we will be taking a "reached our goal" picture together too :D It really helps when you have a buddy to do this with.

I didn't join in the original Summer Challenge, but I have been a bit stalled on my progress lately. I really haven't been gaining OR losing, just hanging out. I think that having a longer term goal will kick my butt into gear.

Current weight: 169
Goal weight: 159
Goal date: I like the June 21st goal, so I'll go with it. :D

What I have done to reach my goals so far:
Planned Meals and limited grocery shopping to once a week.
Exercised at least 40 minutes 5 days a week.
Drink a gallon of water a day. (Altitude + desert climate + weightloss.)
Log everything on Fitday.

What I need to recommit to:
Cooking and eating the meals I plan and shop for. :rofl:
Making my lunches the night before I spend a whole day at campus.
Sticking to my 1600 cal limit.

Habits I would like to form:
Going to bed at a reasonable time (Midnight.)
Only 1 hour a day of TV.
Only 2 meals out a week.
Add a day of exercise.

Hi Hannah :)
Mauvais : I have noticed that with the sun coming out more this week it has def. improved my mood, and today will be day 4 of exercise every day. yeah me

Joining late, too. Would like to get some weight off and feel better before our youngest son goes off to college this Sept. Had been doing veg, then tried a variation of veg SBD, but couldn't take all the dairy and cheese, etc--felt so sluggish and crappy!

So--back to vegan for the most part with just a little fish occasionally--no meat, no dairy. Lots 'o' fruits and veggies and some grains, legumes and nuts. Up the water.

Walk my doggie when his foot gets better and continue to walk SIL's doggie total of 5 days a week, for 45 min-1 hr. Yoga at least 3 days per week for 30-60 min. Add gardening and cleaning and I should be busy for awhile.

Can't believe how hard this is at this time of my life (will be 50 in the fall), but I am determined to get past this sluggish metabolism and LOSE WEIGHT!

Sign me re-commited.

welcome back chervata. :) your diet sounds about where i hope to be if i ever take the plunge and go torwards vegan.

Hello everybody! Welcome newbies. Its never too late! ;) Well I haven't checked in for a few days. I had a bad week last week. This week is much better. No soda or sugar for going on 3 days now. I started a food diary this week. I managed to go to the YMCA on Saturday and do the treadmill and weights for an hour (30 min. on treadmill, 30 on weights). Very proud of myself for that one. And I've already been 2 days this week and planning on going tonight. I'm movin' right along, FINALLY! I have got to reach my June goal. Hope you're all doing well. Be-lieve me, if I can do it surely anyone can! Take care - Amy :cheer:

:bravo: chicks! sounds like we are all off to a good start :)

Welcome back Chervata! :wave:

I have been sick for two days so I have not been able to exercise :p but yesterday I went for an hour long walk and tonight I have my dance class so back to it! :cb:

Mauvais : glad you are feeling better.
Amy : way to go , sounds like you are motivating yourself right into that gym and to your goals. :)

well i managed to get rid of the weight i had put back on and am back at 182. last week was a bad week. but i have managed to stay on top of myself and stay focused. let's hope this trend keeps up. :p

Thanks Heather :)

Yup! I have to be a good girl this weekend too .....1 am up 1lb and I have to go to a birthday dinner on Saturday night so I will try to eat light - hard because we are going to an Italian restaurant...I can already hear the Tiramisu calling my name...:lol:

I plan to exercise on Saturday and Sunday and I am going to a bellydance party tonight so I will be dancing my butt off :D hopefully that will help me!

Mauvais : enjoy a fun, Healthy weekend. if you plan it right a dinner out can do no harm. :p
well haven't been exercising as much as i would like,but have been so busy. some of the major spring cleaning i have been doing for myself and others has to count as exercise. but when i hopped on the scale this am it has gone done. all that water and just keeping busy. trying to eat healthy is working. :)

well i have continued to try and make working out a part of my life. ( going to do this mornings as soon as i finish my post :) ) still drinking water. some days are better eating days than others. craving veggies big time. so today i go to the fresh veggie satore, and stock up.. i have been thinking of taking my measurements. something which i have always shyed away from. so that i have a reference point. yesterday i went over to my best girl (in Real life, lol) and she had gotten WATP express and some exercise shorts, bra. i almost jumped for joy this is a lady who has resisted all my attempts to get us to work together. days have been spent couch potatoing on her sofa watching soaps. so needless to say i was thrilled.

That's great that your friend is getting into exercising with you! :cp:

I have managed to exercise everyday this week :cb:

Still no real exercise. I have done some yard work- that kinda counts.... I was thinking of getting Winsor Pilates or a new yoga dvd but that is about as far as it has gone is thinking about it.

Heather - I had the measuring tape out yesterday trying to figure out what frame size I am... I gave myself a headache but while I was at it I did my bust/waist/hip size for the first time since starting Atkins... I have lost several inches in my hips and bust - my waist is hanging about the same maybe an inch smaller. I am 32/29/38 can't really complain about that.

Amy : nope can't complain about that. :) sounds pretty darn good to me.

Sounds good to me too.
I'd be happy with something in the 30's :)

I just wanted to pop in and tell everyone that I met my goal early! Yay to me.

My goal was to be under 200 and I've been straggling right there between 200 & 203 or so... but today my friend and enemy said 199!! I was thrilled. Had to share.

So now I suppose I should come up with a new goal. Like maybe start exercising finally. I think I've lost all i'm going to just by changing my diet. Too bad for my big lazy self. *L*

So I think my treat at the Bath and Body Works store is calling to me. And maybe today I'll exercise even... :)

GOOD JOB LIZZINESS! :bravo:

Well I haven't done quite as well. I'm back up to 199. I know I've been emotional eating. Argh. And I still haven't found a way to hold my own in house full of sugar luvin', fat eatin' family. I had a small victory the other night, they bought sugar and I made myself look at the fat/calorie/sugar content and that made me walk away. But it was tough. A part of me STILL wanted it. I'm still on track with exercise but eating right is still very hard for me. I just got paid so I'm buying a ton of healthy stuff for home and work. NO eating out either! I have roughly 2 months to reach my goal and I want to FINALLY do it!!!!!! So no more hiding from the list, I'm coming out and shouting my recommitment! :coach: hahaha Thanks for listening! :blah:

Congrats. Lizzi that is great! :)
Amy : i know what you mean. hubby did last grocery shopping and needless to say it was bad. very bad. and if the crap is here in the house i have the hardest time not eating it.
i am holding on but jsut barely the past couple weeks have been rough emotionally and there was days i ate for all the wrong reasons.
so i went to virtual model and made a now me, and i wanna be me. lol they now are taped to my fridge to remind me everytime i open the door. ( i saw somewhere in another thread around here about that and thought what a great idea)

Thats a cool idea blu! :) Yeah its VERY hard for me to turn down bad food if its there. I have GOT to get back on track. I have eaten NO veggies in days! And I don't feel very good physically but I still don't think about it while I'm eating. Plus I went to Scarborough Faire all day yesterday. There aren't exactly veggies around to eat in the land of turkey legs and meat pies. But at least I steered clear of the sugar. I've noticed that a lot of the things I used to love I just can't stand anymore. Like waffles with strawberry topping-I tried one Saturday and it tasted sooo sweet it was gross! I think I have my sugar under control, now how to I get the veggies back? Why is it so complicated??? Ok. I'm done complaining. Thanks. :D

Amy To combat hubby's badness i am going to grocery store, and i have a very specific high veggie list made up. what i plan to do is get 3-4 days worth of fresh veggies, come home and make up a bunch of salads, fresh veggie platter and keep it right in front of fridge. i will eat it if it is there. and i have really been craving salads. so i am going to indulge that craving ( at least it is a good one)

Sounds like a good plan blu. I'm feeling better about things today. I bought a lot of veggies yesterday for healthy snacks at work and home. I haven't had a soda for 2 days, fewer sweets, lots of water. So far so good. I'm doing a walk to benefit the Humane Society of North Texas this weekend with my doggie and its about a mile so that should be fun. I'm going to try to increase my exercise from 3 days to 4 or 5. And just eat more veggies. Hope you're all doing well.

I have had a rubbish week :p I have not been feeling well and have not been op since I have not felt like cooking or exercising much. I am getting fed up - I have been 6 lbs within reach of my WW goal for the last 2 months and just can't seem to get there :mad:

So I am kicking my own rear end and getting back to it starting tomorrow morning :drill:

Plan:

a) no junk food in house
b) get back into the habit of exercising every morning
c) plan out my meals for the week and prepare my lunches in advance.
d) water, water, everywhere!

Go mauvais :
i have just been stagnating. stuck stuck. so i realize it is me my mentality holding me back. haven't exercised in oh i don't know forever. was eating oh so wrong.
so i feel as if i am starting over. and in a way i am . so i am recommiting to myself. relearning thought processes. and trying.
diet wise, i bought only vegetarian at store, and healthy at that. no junk what so ever. hubby is kicking up a storm, but oh well.
am starting to try and make myself eat three meals, two snacks. this is something i never really did. i was bad and would go all day and not eat, and then have one big meal in the evening.
still doing my water. am hopelessly addicted. :)
have been feeling so unmotivated to move lately. but i did get out and go to the woods and walk around the resoiver monday. so my goal this week is to do same fri, and sun. I figure starting with three days a week. and then moving up to more.
so that is how my summer challenge is going.
does endless forum typing count as finger exercises? :p

I'd like to join you ladies too, I need a focus for the last few pounds. I've been doing well, in terms of diet and exercise, but I may need to do something extra to get over the hump-- I'm not sure. :shrug:

I'm willing to go a little more vegan, and organic. I have this idea that steroids and hormones in meat, milk, etc. might not be good for someone with a hormonal endocrine disorder like PCOS. (Gee, ya think?) I've cut down on meat quite a bit since January, maybe it's time to buy all organic, and organic dairy and eggs, too.

I'm having some trouble with my left leg, so I'm just walking fast on the treadmill. It's pronating badly, the knee is a bit twisted, and the hip hurts a bit. ( I sprained it a couple of years ago, and it never healed right.) The right leg is fine. I may have to get a gait analysis at a running clinic and an orthotic in the left shoe, so I can jog/run regularly. :?:

Other than that, I'm not sure what more I can do. It may be I just have to hang and wait it out. And it may be that size 12 is where I should be. If that's the way "it is written," I'm o.k. with it. :D

The fat that's left is basically on my abdomen and around the top of my hips. I wish I could take it off there and nowhere else, as I like my T & A the way they are. I'm growing my hair out, and going for the whole boom-boom Betty Boop look. Where's my corset and stockings? :lol:

blugrrrl - I posted to you in the Vegetarian thread under "Saying Hi" and also started a new thread for family friendly vegetarian recipes :D

thanks Mauvais. :) you rock :p

Hey chicks! Long time no hear! ;) I've been hiding again. I'm not going to make my June 21 goal as I have not lost ANYTHING. :mad: But I haven't really changed my eating. I did good last week but then I had a wonderful romantic getaway holiday :love: and ate great food. Its been hard to get back into it this week. I have my 3 day exercise routine down but I just can't seem to get more than 3 days. I walked a ton over the holiday and I've exercised reluctantly since I got back. :kickcan: But I still can't control how much and what I eat. So...do u think I can lose weight by my birthday on 7/8? Say 5-10? How am I gonna do it? :dunno: Any suggestions? I also have PCOS which seems to make it soooo much harder to lose ANYTHING, especially on my stomach. My stomach just seems to be getting bigger even though my legs are getting leaner and my face is thinning. Ok. I know I'm just rambling now. Hope you're all doing well.

Hi Amy! I've got PCOS too. Also the "male type" stomach fat. I've had good luck with journaling and taking my measurements regularly. (Your stomach probably isn't really getting bigger, it just seems bigger in proportion to the smaller arms, legs, and face.) But I do have to be very disciplined about diet and exercise, and I have to do more exercise than the average person to see results. I wish things were different, but that's the way it is for me.

However, it's not all bad. One advantage -- in a way-- with PCOS: the high testosterone levels make it easier to build muscle, which helps burn fat. At least that's been my discovery. So I lift weights as well as do aerobic (cardio) work. I also have to severely limit fat and sugar. I mainly eat low-glycemic carbs, as well. In fact most of my carbs are veggies-- lots and lots of veggies.

It is possible to lose fairly quickly with PCOS, I've gone down from 190 to my current number (see sig below) since January 1, 2004. But that's with a lot of control over diet, and a lot of exercise, nearly every day. And a treat maybe once every 2 weeks. Again, I wish it were easier than that, but it's just not, for me. Good Luck!

You are welcome Blugrrl! :)

I am about to post some more food info for you over there.